System and method for performing deformation and stress analysis modeling in a virtual fabrication environment

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide the ability to perform deformation and stress analysis modeling in a virtual fabrication environment. More particularly, embodiments enable the virtual fabrication environment to model deformation and stress analysis directly from a voxel-based model without requiring generation of an interface conforming mesh. Stress fields for semiconductor device structures may be determined at designated points in the process sequence used to fabricate the semiconductor device.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A non-transitory medium holding computer-executable instructions for performing deformation and stress analysis modeling in a virtual fabrication environment, the instructions when executed causing at least one computing device to:
 receive a selection of a process sequence in a process editor for a semiconductor device structure to be virtually fabricated;   
       receive a user-specified deformation and stress analysis modeling step inserted into the process sequence, the deformation and stress analysis modeling step indicating a designated point during the process sequence for deformation and stress analysis modeling to be performed;
 perform with the computing device a virtual fabrication run that models an integrated process flow used to physically fabricate the semiconductor device structure by using the process sequence and 2D design data to simulate patterning, material addition and/or material removal steps performed to physically fabricate the semiconductor device structure, the virtual fabrication run:
 executing the process sequence up until the deformation and stress analysis modeling step, the executing building a 3D structural model of the semiconductor device structure, the 3D structural model predictive of a result of a physical fabrication of the semiconductor device structure, and 
 performing the deformation and stress analysis modeling step, the deformation and stress analysis modeling step generating result data; and 
 
 output the result data generated from the deformation and stress analysis modeling step. 
 
     
     
         2 . The medium of  claim 1  wherein the result data is displayed in a 3D graphical view of the 3D structural model. 
     
     
         3 . The medium of  claim 1  wherein the instructions when executed cause the at least one computing device to:
 receive a plurality of deformation and stress analysis steps at designated locations in the process sequence; and 
 generate a plurality of result data for the plurality of deformation and stress analysis steps. 
 
     
     
         4 . The medium of  claim 3  wherein the plurality of result data is displayed in a 3D graphical view of the 3D structural model. 
     
     
         5 . The medium of  claim 1 , wherein the 3D structural model is a voxel-based model that uses an implicit geometry representation that includes a plurality of voxels arranged in a voxel grid and the deformation and stress analysis modeling step performs:
 identification of interfaces between different materials in the plurality of voxels based on volume fraction data for each voxel.   
     
     
         6 . The medium of  claim 5 , wherein the deformation and stress analysis modeling step performs a coarsening operation on the voxel grid. 
     
     
         7 . The medium of  claim 6 , wherein the coarsening operation is an adaptive coarsening operation where the voxel grid is coarsened away from material interfaces. 
     
     
         8 . A computing device-implemented method for performing deformation and stress analysis modeling in a virtual fabrication environment, comprising:
 receiving a selection of a process sequence in a process editor for a semiconductor device structure to be virtually fabricated, the process sequence including a user-specified deformation and stress analysis modeling step, the deformation and stress analysis modeling step indicating a point during the process sequence for deformation and stress analysis modeling to be performed;   performing with the computing device a virtual fabrication run that models an integrated process flow used to physically fabricate the semiconductor device structure by using the process sequence and 2D design data to simulate patterning, material addition and/or material removal steps performed to physically fabricate the semiconductor device structure, the virtual fabrication run:
 executing the process sequence up until the deformation and stress analysis modeling step, the executing building a 3D structural model of the semiconductor device structure, the 3D structural model predictive of a result of a physical fabrication of the semiconductor device structure, and 
 performing the deformation and stress analysis modeling step, the deformation and stress analysis modeling step generating result data; and 
   outputting the result data generated from the deformation and stress analysis modeling step.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the result data is displayed in a 3D graphical view of the 3D structural model. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 receiving a plurality of deformation and stress analysis steps at designated locations in the process sequence; and   
       generating a plurality of result data for the plurality of deformation and stress analysis steps. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the plurality of result data is displayed in a 3D graphical view of the 3D structural model. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the 3D structural model is a voxel-based model that uses an implicit geometry representation that includes a plurality of voxels arranged in a voxel grid and further comprising:
 identifying interfaces between different materials in the plurality of voxels based on volume fraction data for each voxel. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the deformation and stress analysis modeling step performs a coarsening operation on the voxel grid. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the coarsening operation is an adaptive coarsening operation where the voxel grid is coarsened away from material interfaces. 
     
     
         15 . A system for performing deformation and stress analysis modeling in a virtual fabrication environment, comprising:
 at least one computing device equipped with one or more processors and configured to generate a virtual fabrication environment that includes a deformation and stress analysis modeling module, the deformation and stress analysis modeling module when executing:
 receiving a selection of a process sequence in a process editor for a semiconductor device structure to be virtually fabricated, the process sequence including a user-specified deformation and stress analysis modeling step, the deformation and stress analysis modeling step indicating a point during the process sequence for deformation and stress analysis modeling to be performed; 
 performing with the computing device a virtual fabrication run that models an integrated process flow used to physically fabricate the semiconductor device structure by using the process sequence and 2D design data to simulate patterning, material addition and/or material removal steps performed to physically fabricate the semiconductor device structure, the virtual fabrication run:
 executing the process sequence up until the deformation and stress analysis modeling step, the executing building a 3D structural model of the semiconductor device structure, the 3D structural model predictive of a result of a physical fabrication of the semiconductor device structure, and 
 performing the deformation and stress analysis modeling step, the deformation and stress analysis modeling step generating result data; and 
 
 a display in communication with the at least one computing device, the display configured to display the result data from the deformation and stress analysis modeling step. 
   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the result data is displayed in a 3D graphical view of the 3D structural model. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the deformation and stress analysis modeling module:
 receives a plurality of deformation and stress analysis steps at designated locations in the process sequence; and 
 generates a plurality of result data for the plurality of deformation and stress analysis steps. 
 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the plurality of result data is displayed in a 3D graphical view of the 3D structural model. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the 3D structural model is a voxel-based model that uses an implicit geometry representation that includes a plurality of voxels arranged in a voxel grid and the deformation and stress analysis modeling step performs:
 identification of interfaces between different materials in the plurality of voxels based on volume fraction data for each voxel.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the deformation and stress analysis modeling step performs a coarsening operation on the voxel grid.